Internal-combustion engine



Dec. 7 1926.

5H. LEMP INTERNAL COMBUSTI 0N ENG INB Filed July 5, 1924 -B- F: l 2 5fi F/JE 33 a a 4 32 k i? '13 Y /"7 1-7 ll "7 l0 7 8 I g} l I n u 9 I I II M Q Inven tor Hermann Lemp f HLs Attorney Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN LEMP, F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed July 5,

The present invention relates to multicylinder internal combustion engines and has for its object-to provide a construction and arrangement whereby when such an engine is idling or running at light or without load, one or more of the cylinders may be used as an air compressor for providing compressed air. Such an arrangement is useful for example in the case of engine operated vehicles equipped with air brakes. the engine when idling while the vehicle is stopped, for instance, being then used to supply air to the air storage tank or tanks of the air brake system.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of an internal combustion engine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of one of the cylinders, and Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to the drawing, -1 indicates a multicyli-nder internal combustion engine of any suitable type and having any suitable number of cylinders. In the drawing only a part of the engine is illustrated, including the first three cylinders which are numbered 2, 3 and 4. In the present instancean engine of the four-cycle high compression type is illustrated. 5 indicates thevalve gear of the cylinders. (3 the fuel aton'nzer 1njectors to which fuel is carried by pipes 7 from a distributor 8, and 9 a fuel pump operated from the engine shaft and supplying fuel oil through pipe 10 to distributor 8.

Fuel oil is supplied to the suction side of' pump 9 from a supply tank 11 to which it is fed by a pipe -12 and-in which a constant level is maintained by an overflow pipe 13. The engine illustrated is of a type which is started by compressed air, and 14 indicates a starting air supply pipe which is connected to the cylinder through a port 15 and. is provided'with-a spring seated non-return valve 16. It will be understood, of course, that the flow of starting air through pipe 14 is' controlled during the starting period in any usual or suitable manner and that when the engine is running on fuel the supply of starting air to pipe 14 is shut off.

The structure so far described is a known engine structure and operates in a manner 1924. Serial No. 724.267.

well understood by those familiar with internal combustion engines. \Vhen the en-- gine is running pump!) on successive strokes supplies fuel through pipe 10 to distributor 8. Distributor 8 is operated from the crank shaft and serves to connect pipe 10 in the proper order to pipes 7 which lead to the fuel atomizer injectors. Valve gear 5 controls the admission of air to and the discharge of the exhaust from the cylinders. Air starting pipes 14 may be provided on each cylinder or on only a part of them as is well understood.

.The foregoing engine structure is of a type to which my invention is well adapted and is the structure in connection with which I have chosen to illustrate it. However, it will be understood that this is only byway of example and that as will appear more clearly hereinafter, the invention may be applied to other engine structures.

Now, according to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, I-provide in connection with one ormore cylin ders of the engine a pipe 17 (see Fig. 2) which conveys air to a storage tank 17 such as, for example, the air storage tank for an air brake system, and I connect pipe 17 to port 15 1I1 parallel with pipe 14. Also in pipe 17, I provide a shut off valve 18 which stands in. line with valve 16 and a springpressed non-return valve 19. The head of shut off valve 18 is adapted to engage the stem of valve 16 so that when valve 18 is opened it efl'ects also the opening of valve 16. The stem of valve 18 projects through the valve casing and at its lower end stands in engagement with the end of a lever 20 pivoted on the frame 21 of an electromagnet 22. Magnet 22 is carried by an arm 23 which projects from the casing of valve 18 and it has its armature 24 attached to lever 20. The outward movement of lever 20 is limited by an adjustable stop 25.

1 With the above-described arrangement it will be seen that when electromagnet 22 is energized, lever 20 is raised, thereby opening valves 18 and 16 so as to connect the cylinder of the engine to pipe 17 and that when the electromagnet is deenergized both valves will be closed, lever 20 dropping down against stop 25.

When the magnet 22 is energized and valves 18 and 16 are open, than the piston on lOQ the engine is thrown to idling or off position,

the compression stroke will force'air past check valve '19 to pipe 17 and in this manner act as an air pump.

When a cylinder is being used as an air pump. it is desirable that no fuel oil be supplied to it, and to effect this result I provide a means whereby the fuel oil is discharged through a bypass pipe whenever electromagnet 22 is energized to convert a cylinder into an an pump. To this end I interposein.

pipe 7 a valve casing 26 in which is a valve 27 adapted to engage either of two seats 28 or 29. It is biased into engagement with to a bypass or discharge pipe 32 which conveys the fuel oil back to fuel tank 11. On the end of pipe 32 is a discharge nozzle 33 through which the fuel is discharged. This nozzle is of a-size such that it offers about the same resistance to the flow of fuel oil through it as does the fuel injector 6. Its purpose is to avoid disturbing the even 0 eration of the fuel pump and distributor w ien fuel oil is being discharged through pipe 32, a thing which would occur if pipe 32 offered a resistance to the flow of fuel oil substantially different from that of the fuel injectors 6.

Electromagnets 22 and 31 may be arranged with advantage in the same control circuit and preferably the arrangement is such that whenever the control handle for the control circuit is closed automatically so as to energize electromagnets 22 and 31, and convert the cylinder into an air pump. The circuit arrangement is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3 wherein the electromagnets 22 and 31 are connected in series to a source of potential 34, the circuit including a suitable switch 35 biased to the open position by a spring 36. 37 indicates the con trol lever for the engine and when it is thrown to idling or off position it effects the closing of switch 35. When moved toward the on position it permits switch 35 to open. Switch 35 may be a suitable snap switch biased to the open position.

The operation of the structure will be clear from the description already given. When the engine control lever 37 is in a position other than the off or idling position, switch 35 is open so that electromagnets 22 and 31 are deenergized. Under these circumstances valves 16 and 18 are closed and valve 27 is held in engagement with valve seat 28 by the spring 30. The engine now operates in the normal manner. IVhen the control lever 37 is thrown to the idling or off position then switch 35 is closed thereby energizing electromagnets 22 and 31 and mov ng valves 18, 16 and 27 to the positions shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Now as the engine operates, such of the cylinders as will be clear, a single cylinder may be equipped with the converting mechanism as shown in Fig. 2 or a plurality of cylinders may be so equipped.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principle of operation ,of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but

I desire to have it, understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unite-d States, is,-

1. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a valve gear controlling air admission to the cylin ders, of means for supplying fuel to they cylinders, said last-named means including fuel supply conduits connected with said cylinders, a valve in one of said conduits which is movable to cut off thefuel supply therethrough to a cylinder, a storage tank and an air conduit connected therewith, a port in the last-named cylinder to which said air conduit is connected, a normally closed valve which is movableto open said port. control means for the engine which is movable to an idling position, and means connected with said valves and with the control means for moving said firstnamed valve to cut off the fuel supply and said secondnamed valve to open said port when the control means is moved to the idling position.

2. The combination with amulti-cylinder internal combustion engine, of means for supplying air to the cylinders, means for supplying fuel to the cylinders, said lastnamed means including a fuel supply conduit connected with each cylinder and a fuel supply tank, a by-pass valve in one of said conduits which in a normal -position connects the delivery end thereof with the cylinder and which in an alternate position con nects the delivery end of the supply conduit Ill) , operation, of

with the supply tank, a conduit connected with said cylinder to receive compressed air therefrom, a normally closed valve in said conduit, and means connected with said valve and the by-pass valve for simultaneously operating saidvalves.

3. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having an air inlet and exhaust valve gear for the cylinders and a port in one of the cylinders through which starting air is admitted for starting the engine, of a conduit for conveying starting air to said port, a normally closed valve in such conduit, a second conduit connected to said port, a normally closed valve in such second conduit, said valves being in series as regards the flow of air through the second-named conduit, a fuel supply conduit connected with the cylinder having said starting air admission port, a

b -pass valve in said conduit which is movable to close the connection between said conduit and the cylinder, and means for simultaneously opening the first and secondnamed valves and for moving the by-pass valve to close said connection when the engine is operating at light load, whereby such cylinder is converted into an air compressor.

'4. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a control handle connected therewith to control its means controlled by the control handle when thrown to the idling position for converting one or more of the cylinders into an air pump.

5. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a port in one of its cylinders, a valve normally closing-said port, and a control handle connected vwiththe engine to control its operation, of means actuated by the control handle when thrown to the idling position for opening 'said valve so as to convert such cylinder into an air compressor.

. 6. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a valve gear controlling the admission of air to the cylinders, conduits for supplying fuel to the and a handle for controlling the cylinders i a port in one of said cylinfucl supply. of

ders through which starting air is supplied,

a valve normally closing said port, means for disconnecting the fuel supply conduit for such cylinder from the cylinder, and means actuated by the control handle when thrown to idling posltion for opening said valveso as to' convert the cyllnder into an air pump and for actuatmg said disconnecting means to disconnect the fuel supply conduit from-such cylinder. 1r

7. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a. valve gear controlling the admission of air to the cylinders, conduits for supplying fuel to the cylinders, and a handle for controlling the'fuel supply, of a port in one of said cylinders through which starting air is supplied, a valve normally closing said port, a valve for disconnecting the fuel supply conduit for such cylinder from the cylinder electromagnetic means .for actuating said valves, and an electrical circuitincluding said electromagnetic means controlledby the control handle for effecting the actuation of said valves when the control handle is thrown to off position whereby such cylinder is converted into an air compressor.

8. The combination with ,a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a port in one of its cylinders through which starting air is admitted for starting the engine, of an air storage tank, and means for connect-. ing said tank to said port when the engine is running at light load whereby such cylinder is converted into an air compressor.

9. The combination with a multi-cylinder internal combusti'onengine having a port in one of its cylinders through which start-- ing air is admitted for starting the engine, .of aconduit for conveying starting air to said port, a normally closed valve in suchv plying fuel to the cylinders, said 1neans in-.

eluding a fuel supply conduit connected with each cylinder, a by-pass valve in one of said conduits which in a normal position completes the connection of the conduit with the cylinder and which in an alternate position provides a by-pass connection therefor, a compressed air supply conduit connected with said cylinder, a normally closedvalve in said conduit, and means connected with said valve and with the by-pass valve for opening the former and moving the latter to its alternate position.

' 11. The combination with a multicylinder internal combustion engine having a fuel distributor, and a fuel inlet means for each cylinder connected therewith, of a by-pass valve connected between said distributor and the fuel inlet means of one of said cylinders, said valve being movable to by-pass the fuel supplied by the distributor, a conduit connected'with said cylinder to receive compressed air therefrom, a normally closed valve in said conduit, and means connected with said valve and with the by-pass valve which is movable to operate said valves.

12. The combination with a multicylinder internal combustion engine having a fuel distributor and a fuel inlet means for each cylinder connected therewith, of a by-pass valve connected between said distributor and the fuel inlet means of one of said cylinders. said valve being movable to by-pass the fuel supplied by the distributor, means for conserving the bypassed fuel, a conduit connected with said cylinder to receive compressed air therefrom, a valve in said conduit, and operating means for said 'valves connected therewith.

13. The combination with a multicylindcr engine of the high compression type having a fuel supply conduit connected with at least one of its cylinders, said cylinder being adapted to provide compressed air, of means in said conduit for diverting the fuel flow therein from the cylinder, means for receiving the diverted fuel flow, and means jointly operative with the fuel diverting means for taking compressed air from said cylinder.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July, 1924.

HERMANN LEMP. 

